Page 30 of Summer Sweethearts
A few minutes later, she breezes into the room in a black velour workout set, and I quirk a brow at her. “Dance class later today. Aiden got me a few classes for Christmas, and I loved the place, so I take their Sunday evening class every week.”
“Well, I don’t want to keep you. You told me to stop over today because you had something to talk to me about.”
“I did. I wanted to talk to you about Grandma and Grandpa’s house,” she says as she takes a seat on the other end of the couch.
“What about it? Cain said you guys were going to renovate it to be a rental again. That’s all I know about it. Did you want me to put it on the schedule and get a crew out there to start?” I ask, confused about why she needed me to come here to talk about this and why it couldn’t be done over the phone. My dad and Molly’s late husband were brothers, and we spent a lot of time playing at our great grandparent’s house when we were little. Then when they died, it was rented out, but the last tenants moved out almost two years ago, and it’s been sitting empty since.
“No, that was the initial plan, but plans changed. Since I’m the only living beneficiary of the estate, it’s up to me to decide what to do with it. And well, the bottom line is the house needs a lot of work and updates. Which means a lot of money, and renting it to someone will never recoup that cost, at least, not in my lifetime,” she rambles, and my stomach drops at her words.
She doesn’t want to renovate or rent it out, so why am I here? What is the point of telling me all this? Did she already tell Cara and Cain about her plans? And now it’s my turn?I feel like there is a storm brewing in my belly, thinking about her selling or demolishing my favorite childhood place. “I don’t understand, Molly. Why am I here then?”
“Well, it’s not worth it to remodel it for me, but it could be for you. You’re here to stay now, and you can’t live at Cain’s forever. So I thought, who better to live there than you?” She shrugs, and my heartbeat picks up pace.
“I’d love to buy it. I could give you what I have for a down payment. It’s not much with me paying Cain to be a partner, but I can get more,” I tell her, my words rushing out erratically as my mind moves at a million miles per hour.
“No, Michael, sweetie. You’re not listening. I don’t want you to buy the place. I want you to have it. It should go to someone in the family, someone who will fix it up and love it.” She stands up, going to the buffet on the far wall, grabbing something, and coming back. “Here is the key. I’ll call you to meet up at the bank to get the deed transferred over this week. It’s all yours, son. I hope you love it as much as we all did. I better be invited over for supper at least monthly.” She laughs, and my eyes fill with tears.
Standing up, I wrap my aunt in a hug and kiss the top of her head. “Thank you so much, Aunt Molly! You have no idea how much this means to me.” She wipes her own eyes, leading me to the door and opening it, allowing me to exit.
I get in my truck and am all smiles, along with a few tears, as I drive in total shock. She justgaveme a house. A house I hope I can make into a home for Etta, Jessica, and myself. Where we can raise our kids; if that’s what they want. Where we can just love each other and be a family. I can’t wait to tell the girls, but I want it to be a surprise. Etta has always loved that old house too. We went there a few times in high school, and she loved the farmhouse feel of it.
* * *
Walking into Sugar Spines Monday, I find Etta is bent over, wiping out the display case. Her cleavage is exposed and jiggling as she swipes back and forth with her rag. She looks up as I approach and smiles, but continues her work. I slide behind the counter and sit on the stool, just watching her work. Fuck, what I wouldn’t give to slide into her from behind right now. But I keep myself in check and just sit watching her work.
When finished, she steps in between my legs, and I wrap my arms around her waist, my gaze catching on her piercing eyes. I kiss her, forcing my tongue into her mouth. She moans, and my cock twitches at the sound. “Hi, baby. I came to see if I could take you to lunch?”
“Umm, yeah. That should be fine. Let me just tell Dwight I’m taking my lunch because he’ll have to cover the front,” she whispers against my lips before taking a step back and heading into the kitchen. Muffled voices float to me from the kitchen as I stand and try to adjust myself in my pants. Etta comes out of the kitchen moments later with a bright smile. “Okay, handsome, let’s go.”
Reaching down with her right hand, she grabs my left and intertwines our fingers. I lead her out of the store and down the street to Fresh Harvest, a little cafe in town. Holding the door open for her, I let her walk in ahead of me. She picks a little table right next to the window, and we take our seats. Right away, a young man comes to our table to take our order.
“Welcome to Fresh Harvest. Could I interest you in our soup or salad of the week? This week we are serving a Mexican Chopped Salad, and for the soup, we have Loaded Cheesy Cauliflower.”
“Can I have the salad and the Croque Monsieur? Oh, and Dr. Pepper,” Etta requests.
“I’ll take the Open Steak Sandwich with sweet potato fries and a Dr. Pepper.” I hand the kid our menus, and he smiles as he takes them, heading back toward the kitchen.
“So, how has work been so far today?” I ask.
“It was pure chaos this morning. Just died down before you got there, hence me cleaning out the display case. Your timing was impeccable because I’m starving.” Her stomach growls, and we both laugh at the perfect timing.
The server comes back with our drinks, and I take mine from him, raising it up in the air. “To us and beginnings.” Etta giggles but raises her glass up before we clink them together. We make small talk about our lives while separated from one another as we wait for our food. It comes as I’m telling Etta about the car I sold to get here, but she just rolls her eyes at my sadness about selling my baby.
“Anything else I can get the two of you?” our server asks.
“No, thank you. I think we are good for now,” Etta tells him as she takes a bite of her salad.
We eat in silence, minus a few groans from each of us about how good the food is. “I always forget how good this place is. We should come here more often,” Etta says as she leans back, obviously stuffed from her lunch.
“Agreed. It was good. This was my first time here since they weren’t around before.” I stand and hold my hand out for her to take, pulling her from the booth. “Come on, hot stuff. I should get you back to work before Dwight burns the place down.”
Getting to the cash register, I pay for our lunch, and we hold hands as we stroll back down Main Street toward Sugar Spines. “This weekend is the Fourth of July firework celebration since it falls on a Tuesday this year. I’m having a cookout to watch them in the yard since you can see them from my place. Did you wanna come?” she tells me as we approach her place of work.
“I’d love to. I’ll come over early to help set up and grill if you need me to,” I say, leaning in slowly to kiss her softly on the lips, and she just smiles up at me.
“I missed this, Michael,” she whispers.
“I did too, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I swear.” I cup her cheeks in my palms and kiss her forehead.
